Improvement in thill-coupling



Patented Aug'. 4, 1868.

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HIRONIMVUS WILL, 0F COLUMBUS CITY, IOWA.-

Letters Patent No'. 80,690, dtecl August 4, 1868.

IMPROVEMENT IN THILL-.GOUPLING.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY- CONCERN:

liteI it knownthat I, HIRoNIMUsWILL, of Coliimbus City, in the countyiot'vLousa, and State of Iowa, have invented a new andvaluable Improvement in Shaft- Couplingsg and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,'and exact description of the construction and operation of the same,'reference being had to the' annexed drawings, making a part-of. this specification, and to the letters and gures` of reference marked thereon. Y

VFigure l of the drawings is a representation of a plan view of my device. Figure 2 is a sectional viewr'n a line drawn at rightangles with gfl; and Figure 3 is a sectional view on a line drawn parallel'with fig. 1.

The object `of my device is to construct ay coupling by 'which shafts of carriages may be connected there` with, with less labor, and at less risk of detachment by slight casualties, than has been 'possible by any similar deviceheretoi'ore known or used. I I

'I ainaware that a great variety ofjnventions have been patented, by which shafts may be easily fastened to a carriage, and detached therefrom, but, so far as Irhave examined, they are all liable to be suddenly separated from the carriage by slight accidents. Very many of' them can be detached b y the passage of the carriagewheels over a log or into a deep rut. l A i "i VTo avoid this difficulty, and at the same time to avail myself of all4 the advantages arising from a method of ready attachment, I have invented the device shown on the drawings. p Y

My coupling is composed ofl two principal pieces, which are marked, respectively,A and B on the drawings. Theyare constructed vin the form represented, and are united by the pin C, which passes through each side of the slot in piece A, and is clasped by hook portion of piece-B.

The most important and novel portion of my cdupling, however, .is shown by the letters D and E. The- 'lettcr D is a dln-tch, adjusted by a pin between slots in the piece B, .and E is a spring, adjusted as shown on iig.

3, and which said clutch is operated.

My device operates as follows, namely: The piece A'is .attached permanently to the cross-bar or 'axle of the carriage, as the case may be, and for this purpose the opening H may sometimes be profitably used.. I then take :the shaft, which is the piece B extended, and pass the hooli portion thereof over-the pin or .piece A. The clutch D, being operated by the spring E, secures the`shai`t firmly in its place, and will permit no disengagement of the shaft from the piece A, except by moving the outer projection of said clutch upward, no matter at what angle the'shaft shall stand in relation to the axle or wheels.

To disengage the shaft irorn'theI carriage, I placca thumb against the lower side of the projection on clutch.

D, and push it backward. j

WhntI claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters P atent,lis- V A shaft-coupling, having pieces A and B, clutch D, and spring E, constructed, combined, arranged, 'and Voperating substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the abore, I have hereunto subscribed my name inl theprescncc of two witnesses.

Y HIRONIMUS WILL; Witnesses:

Joni: F. Barman, WILLIAM BnLLwooD. 

